North Coast Salmon Update June 1, 2006

North Coast Salmon Update #3 – Tuesday, July 5, 2016 Please note that in-season updates always deal in preliminary numbers. Usually these change somewhat upon receipt and analysis of all the data.

Area F Troll Update

The 2016 Area F Troll chinook TAC is 192,000 pieces, and will be managed to the maximum 3.2% exploitation objective on WCVI chinook using an Effort / Harvest Relationship Management Tool. The troll fishery opened June 21st (FN0473) with approximately 110 vessels participating in the opening. Average CPUE during the first 3 days of the fishery was 93 chinook per vessel per day and has declined to 44 chinook per vessel per day over the last week. The estimated total catch as of July 4 is 78,000 chinook which is 41% of the 2016 Area F Troll TAC. The total number of chinook validated to date is 28,388 pieces. The estimated harvest rate of WCVI chinook is 0.9%, as estimated by fishing effort using the Effort Harvest Management Tool.

The A-B Line coho retention fishery opened July 1st (FN0572) with retention of coho and pink salmon and an allowance for sockeye salmon as by-catch. The main Dixon Entrance targeted coho fishery opening is planned for July 10th (FN0597).

Table 1 – Summary of Area F Troll catch and releases to date by week. End Chinook Coho Pink Sockeye WEEK Date Effort Kept Rel. Kept Rel. Kept Rel. Kept Rel. 26 25-Jun 534 38,863 2,245 0 3,170 372 964 0 15 27 2-Jul 656 29,004 1,742 181 6,164 1,367 1,865 6 25 28 9-Jul 189 10,087 822 497 2,870 1,200 902 0 11 Total 77,953 4,809 678 12,204 2,938 3,731 6 51

North Coast Salmon Update Page 1 of 7 Figure 1 – Distribution of fishing effort of the Area F Troll Fleet by week.

Area 1-2 Recreational

The majority of lodges commenced fishing operations in early June. Anecdotal reports from the Langara to Masset area indicate there is a lower chinook abundance compared to 2015. For coho, abundance continues to increase, with steady catches over the past week. Catch information from the Langara creel will not be available until the 2nd week of July.

Area 3 (Nass River)

Nass River sockeye returns are forecasted to be slightly below the 20-year average with an expected total return to Canada of 574,000 (50% probability) based on a composite of 5 different forecast models. A below average return of 24,000 (50% probability) upper Nass chinook was the pre-season forecast.

The Nass River fish wheels have been in operation since May 31st and are operating in water levels which are currently near the lowest, for this date, since the fish wheel program began in 1994. In addition, current water temperatures decreased slightly from last week but are still slightly warmer than the 1994–2015 average (9.6 oC vs. 8.7oC).

North Coast Salmon Update Page 2 of 7 The current estimated escapement to the lower fish wheels continues to be below average to date (39,520 vs. 81,000 mean) for sockeye, and just below average (11,168 vs. 13,600 mean) for chinook. Based on average run-timing, only 26% of sockeye and 45% of chinook had migrated past the lower fish wheels as of this past Sunday (July 4th). Nisga’a marine and in-river net catches have been well below average for sockeye, below average for chinook and well above average for chum.

Net Fisheries:

Eight gillnet openings have occurred in Area 3 in the past 4 weeks, with another 1 day opening announced for this week. Catch estimates for the July 4th opening are not yet available, though preliminary indications are that sockeye catches remained low for the fleet of 109 vessels. With continued poor sockeye results in both the Area 3 gillnet fishery and the Nass fish wheels, no further opportunities are expected this week.

The first exploratory seine fishery directed at pink salmon opened on July 4th, with 17 vessels participating. Pink catches were poor and, as such, no extension was permitted.

Area 3 Gillnet Catch Estimates

Sockeye Salmon Coho Salmon Pink Salmon Chum Salmon Chinook Salmon Steelhead Stat Week Week of Year Effort Kept Rel Kept Rel Kept Rel Kept Rel Kept Rel Rel

06/2 24 Total for Week 117 813 0 6 2 2 0 0 89 83 17 10 06/3 25 Total for Week 140 953 0 110 22 1 0 0 2165 196 29 28 06/4 26 Total for Week 252 3807 0 96 3 2 0 2125 168 168 29 5 07/1 27 Total for Week 268 11328 0 353 0 538 0 4936 474 377 15 18

Total for Management Area 3 in Period 777 16901 0 565 27 543 0 7061 2896 824 90 61

A catch monitoring program is in place for Area 3 net fisheries. It is anticipated that at-sea observers will be deployed after the Kwinageese closure.

Nass River salmon stock assessment updates from the Nisga’a Fish and Wildlife Department will be available later this week. Periodic in-season updates are available here: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/northcoast-cotenord/nass-eng.html or here: ftp://ftp.lgl.com/Nass%20Stock%20Assessment%20Updates/

Nass Inland Demonstration Fishery

Both the Nisga’a and the Gitanyow plan to conduct inland demonstration fisheries to fish for sockeye in the Nass watershed this year.

North Coast Salmon Update Page 3 of 7 Meziadin Fishway

The Meziadin Fishway has been operational since June 30th, with water levels slightly below normal and water temperature at 14oC. Current catch to date is 14 sockeye and no other species passing through the counting area. Historic and 2016 counts will be available here: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/northcoast-cotenord/meziadin-eng.html

Kwinageese Weir

The Kwinageese weir will be operated by the Nisga’a Fish and Wildlife department again this year. It is typically not operational until July.

Tree Point Gill Net Fishery

The Tree Point gillnet fishery in Alaska again opened for 4 days of fishing this week, opening Sunday, July 3rd at noon. Compared to average catches for 2000-2015, catch estimates for Week 27 continue to be well below average for sockeye (9,000 vs. 34,000) and pink (1,000 vs. 10,000), below average for coho (1,000 vs. 2,000) and chinook (800 vs. 1,000), and above average for chum (50,000 vs. 46,000). Poor catches for sockeye in other south-east Alaska fisheries are also below the average, while chum CPUEs are well above average.

Noyes Island Seine Fishery

The District 4 (Noyes Island) seine fishery has not yet been opened in 2016.

Area 4 (Skeena River)

The pre-season total Skeena sockeye return estimate is be below average with a pre-season return forecast point estimate of 1.28 million (50% probability) based on the sibling model. An estimated 92,000 sockeye migrated into the Skeena River over the past week, bringing the cumulative total to 182,127. With an estimated 7.6 % of the run having passed Tyee, based on average run timing, the current total return to Canada estimate is 2.4 million. If the run is 5 days early, the current total return to Canada estimate is 1.02 million and, if the return is 5 days late, the current total return to Canada estimate is 5.8 million.

Net Fisheries:

Area 4 gillnet openings directed at chinook are now completed for the year. Total harvest for this fishery was 392 chinook.

With the current positive showing of sockeye at Tyee, a single day Area 4 gillnet opening will be announced today to target Skeena sockeye.

North Coast Salmon Update Page 4 of 7 Area 4 Gillnet Catch Estimates

Sockeye Salmon Coho Salmon Pink Salmon Chum Salmon Chinook Salmon Steelhead Stat Week of Year Effort Kept Rel Kept Rel Kept Rel Kept Rel Kept Rel Rel Week

06/3 25 Total for Week 42 0 22 0 0 0 0 0 0 113 6 0 06/4 26 Total for Week 72 0 97 0 0 0 0 0 0 279 0 0

Total for Management Area 4 in Period 114 0 119 0 0 0 0 0 0 392 6 0

Recreational Fisheries:

The Area 3 and 4 creel survey began on June 1st. June results will be available in mid-July. Regular daily retention limits apply for salmon in Area 3 and 4 tidal waters.

Lodges in Area 3 have indicated that chinook catches continue to be spotty over the past week, though the larger chinooks have arrived in the area. In addition, coho and pink have arrived in abundance and coho continue to be larger than average for this time of year. Area 4 has also seen an improvement in average chinook size, though chinook fishing has remained spotty while coho and pink catches continue to improve.

With ideal fishing conditions in the Skeena River, in-river catches of chinook remain good.

Tyee Test Fishery:

The Tyee Test Fishery is currently operating in lower, warmer and less turbid water than is normally seen at this time of year. With cooler temperature and precipitation in the Skeena area, water temperature at Tyee has dropped substantially to 14oC and the Secchi disk reading is 915 mm. Catches of chinook at the test site remain well below average, while the first fresh chum was captured this past Sunday. 2016 Tyee test fishery daily and cumulative sockeye escapement estimate data, along with 2016 escapement indices by species, are available here: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/northcoast-cotenord/skeenatyee-eng.html

Tyee test fishery cumulative index to June 27: Sockeye Coho Pink Chum Lg Chinook Steelhead 2016 167.8 0.0 0.4 0.2 27.5 2.5 2000’s Avg. 97.5 0.0 0.3 0.0 161.1 0.6 1990's Avg. 137.7 0.0 0.1 0.1 137.2 1.6 1980's Avg. 211.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 96.0 3.4

Kitwanga Weir

The Gitanyow Fisheries Authority will be operating the Kitwanga weir again this year. It is typically operational in early July. Updates provided by the Gitanyow Fisheries Authority will be available here:

North Coast Salmon Update Page 5 of 7 http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/northcoast-cotenord/docs/kitwanga.pdf Slamgeesh Weir

The Gitksan Watershed Authorities will be operating the Slamgeesh weir again this year. It is typically operational in late July.

Sustut Weir

The Province of BC will be operating the Sustut weir again this year. It is typically operational in early August.

Area 6

Net Fisheries:

The first Area 6 exploratory seine opening is anticipated for the middle of July to target passing pinks. A catch monitoring program will be in place for this fishery.

Area 7

Net Fisheries:

The first net fisheries are not anticipated until late July, depending on in-season assessments of abundance.

An up-date on the status of recreational fishing in the area will not be available until mid to late July.

Area 8

Net Fisheries:

Gill net fisheries continue in the Bella Coola Gill Net Area, with chinook and chum being encountered. For the June 27th fishery, 25 vessels participated, harvesting 285 chinook and 2,742 chum. The Bella Coola Gill Net Area is open this week to target chum, though it is too early to provide catch estimates. For central coast fishery information, please contact Jeffrey Radford: [email protected]

Recreational Fisheries (Hakai Pass):

An up-date on the status of recreational fishing in the area will not be available until mid to late July.

North Coast Salmon Update Page 6 of 7 Area 9

Chinook fishing has been slightly better over the past few days. Coho fishing remains poor, though some larger fish were caught yesterday. A more in-depth summary of recreational activity will be available mid-July.

Area 10

The Docee weir has been operational since July 1st, with a total count of 7,598 sockeye as of July 4th. This year’s Docee weir count can be found here: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/northcoast-cotenord/docee-eng.html

North Coast

For more information please visit the North Coast website here: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/northcoast-cotenord/index-eng.html

North Coast Salmon Update Page 7 of 7